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David Bradley

by Karen Shaw09 Dec 2009
Though actor David Bradley is perhaps best known to younger generations as the craggy-faced Argus Filch, irascible caretaker of the Hogwarts Academy, in each of the Harry Potter adaptations, that role succeeded Bradley's lengthy and formidable career as a character actor in predominantly British films and television productions spanning over 45 years. A man from humble beginnings he continues to pursue his love of acting with great success, I was lucky enough to catch up with him for a chat, because despite living down South he still has his roots firmly planted in Northern soil.

You’re famous for playing Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films, how did you get the part?
About eight years ago we were on a family holiday in Sardinia. My kids were reading these Harry Potter books; they were just buried in the books all holiday. So, I thought if I wanted any conversation at all I’d better read them too. I got through them quickly and then we had something to talk about. I then discovered that there was to be a Harry Potter film, so I rang my agent to see if I could audition for the film. When I asked my kids which character they saw me as; I was hoping they’d say somebody cool like Snape, but they said’ Oh Dad, you’re a natural Filch!’ It’s great to know how your kids see you! The interview went down really well, I had to learn a page of dialogue. I waited a fortnight and then some more producers came over from LA and wanted me to do the audition again, but standing up so they could see my height and physicality. So, I had to go over the whole ordeal again, and the kids were constantly asking ‘Have you heard yet dad?’Have you heard?’


Filch is a really creepy character, do you get hate mail?
Well, I won’t say hate mail! I mean I get a lot of mail, but my agent seems to go through it and then re-seals it. I must ask just to see if anything unpleasant does come through. I haven’t received anything so far. Mostly it’s very nice, though I originally thought he was going to be a hate figure for children everywhere. I do get kids and parents coming up to me and they’re very surprised that I’m not as unpleasant as Filch!

You’ve seen Daniel Radcliffe and the child actors in Harry Potter grow and develop, how do they deal with the stress and responsibilities of being in such a high profiled production at such a young age?
Daniel is very grounded, his parents are very good, they tell him not to read anything about himself because if it’s really flattering it’ll go to your head and if it’s not very nice it’ll upset you. Just get your head down get on with the work and have a good time! They’ve got a lot of support from their parents and the producers create a lovely atmosphere on set. Producers are usually breathing down the actors’ necks and constantly looking at their watches, counting the costs and putting pressure on, but with this it’s so relaxed and it’s reflected in the work they produce. They have all grown up to be fantastic actors. I can remember when I first met them all, those little faces looking up at me. They were just little kids and now they’re giving me high fives!

Your home is in Stratford upon Avon, do you miss the North?
Everytime I go up there. I have so many great childhood memories of living in York and we have friends and family up there so we’re always up, my brother lives in Keighley. My kids always say that when we cross the sign that says ‘Welcome to Yorkshire’, my accent just gets thicker and thicker!

Where do you like to visit when you come up?
York, Whitby, anywhere around the Dales and Hebden Bridge. I just love it.

I have a question here regarding your football choices... is it Aston Villa or is it York?
Well, York City is my first love. I’ve supported them from being a young child but since I’ve been living in the Midlands we’ve been going to Villa Park. We’ve got season tickets.

So, in a nutshell, you’re supporting a midlands team...
I am, yes, guilty as charged. But I always look out for York City’s results you know...

Too late David.
Now, I’ve got a picture of you in your stripey vest playing posing with the Sheffield Playhouse football team alongside my father-in-law Alec the Artist in 1967

I’ve got that picture in my downstairs bathroom. Don’t we look mean and moody?
More like downright miserable Dave... Was Alec good at football?
He was very good because he had that kind of psychological element. He was fiercesome and quite ferocious. I became very good friends with Jean and Alec. I used to visit them in Stocksbridge we’d go for a nice long walk have a couple of pints and back to their home for Sunday lunch.

What did you think of Alec’s recent exhibition at Skipton Castle?
Brilliant. I have always loved his work and it’s surprising when you see how beautiful some of the landscapes are, and then you see his other work with the colourful paintings of the stone carvings on Ilkley Moor and they’ve always got a sense of humour about them.

You bought one I believe...
Yeah, it’s called Twelve Stones, it’s got these mysterious bronze rings in the stones, a lot had already been sold, but I got the one I liked the best.

How did you end up in Stocksbridge?
Well, I was born and bred in York, but my first job fortunately for me was at Sheffield Play House, it’s a beautiful old theatre and I was there for two years, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I always enjoy working in a company, working with other people, being part of a big group, part of an ensemble.

How did you get into acting?
Well, I had no acting background in my family, so it wasn’t on the agenda – if I’d mentioned this to a careers officer at school, I would have probably got a kick up the arse. I went to a Catholic secondary modern school in York, and we just didn’t do drama. They didn’t do anything I was interested in, so I joined a youth club with a few mates of mine from the council estate I lived on. It was a boys’ club so there was no girls to look at, so we occupied ourselves by playing darts and ping-pong usually followed by a bottle of Dandelion and Burdock. One night at the youth club, I was told to take a cup of tea to Mr. Pickering, I went in and gave him his tea and he asked me to play Mark Anthony’s part from Julius Caesar, I always remember it, it was ‘Oh pardon me this bleeding piece of earth that I am meek and gentle, that these butchers have discovered the body of Julia Caesar.’ and I just read it out, it must have been appalling. But he said ‘My goodness, where have you been? That’s marvellous you’ve got the part!’ I said ‘What part?’ Looking back I think it was the only way he could get people involved! They were desperately short of numbers you see, a couple of my friends got roped in to it as well, one of them played Caesar’s wife, so we all picked on him for a fortnight.

Was that the start of your acting career?
After leaving school, my parents told me to get a trade. I worked in a factory for eight years as an apprentice engineer. I had no thoughts of going to drama school at all, until I got involved in amateur dramatics, which was something to do after work. We would have a few drinks and rehearse and I was very happy. It was only a really dogged teacher of mine who said, “You’re not going to be an engineer are you?” He encouraged me to audition for RADA and after several go’s I got in. I was 24 by that time. I was the most unmotivated person you could meet!

Are you like that now?
I can be, when I’m doing a bit of power lounging I do it very well. If I’ve got a project on I’m full of enthusiasm for it! Always have a project on, that’s what I say. I’ve been working on my hobby for thirty years!

What are you currently working on?
I’m just about to start on a Mike Lee film. It’s something we’ve been asked not to talk about, he’s always worked like that, and we’re not to discuss it, not even pillow talk apparently. He normally has a one to one session and you discuss the character you play and you build up the life of the character and when it comes to filming it will probably involve a lot of improvisation, that’s the way he works. I expect I’ll be kept on my toes for the next few weeks once I start. Don’t know where we’re filming or what the script is, so it’s all very much a surprise! The characters are good, they are very British!

I believe you’re Kate Beckinsale’s Godfather...
Yes, Kate is my Goddaughter. I was good mates with her dad Richard (Beckinsale). When it came to her getting married in May 2004 she invited me and my wife over to LA for the wedding. Two days before she rang me up and said she’d been interviewing all these vicars and said she didn’t really like any of them and asked me if I would do it. She put me on to this guy who ordained me over the phone and sent the certificates through just before our flights out there!

Did you get to say ‘Dearly beloved...’?
Yes, but I didn’t get to say ‘in the presence of God’ as it was a secular wedding so they didn’t want any of that. Afterwards there was helicopters buzzing around the place and paparazzi trying to get shots! It was very exciting.

What did you wear?
An Armani suit borrowed from my son George.

Was it emotional?
Well it was in a way, yeah. But I didn’t want to get too carried away you know. It was nice to see her walk up the aisle and to pass the rings and say ‘you may kiss the bride’.

It was tragic when Richard died at such a young age...
It was. He died well before his time, he was just 31. I trained with him at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) from 1966 until 1968 and he died in 1979. We’d always hung around together and kept in touch, we’d always spend our Christmas days together with both of our families.

He was a brilliant actor...
He was! And he’ll always be 31 you see. I mean endless repeats of Porridge and Rising Damp, he just had natural comic timing and warmth that no one since has matched.

Is there one actor that you’re particularly in awe of?
Laurence Olivier was my first hero and I worked with him for two years at The Old Vic, he was my boss. It was amazing to be on stage with him, watching him in rehearsal or going to the pub. He was always around and I was just totally in awe of him. I never knew what to say.

At the end of the day he was only human...
That’s right! I think actors are actors and people in that profession are often a lot more vulnerable than they appear in interviews or on stage, they’re not quite as bulletproof as they may sometimes seem.

Very true... now brown or red sauce!
Red!

Oh no! You’re supposed to be a northerner David!
Sorry, but I’m a ketchup fan.

Are you?
I used to do the old HP sauce when I was up in York, we always had it on the table, but not now, does that mean I’ve become a southern poof?!

Interview from issue 29 Dec/Jan 2010. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

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Juliette Kaplan

09 Dec 2009
Juliette Kaplan’s character in the TV hit comedy ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ bears absolutely no resemblance to the sour faced character she plays. In real life she has suffered heartbreak, illness and depression but unlike her on screen character, always keeps smiling despite what life throws at her. Rather than a pearl, I’d say she’s a real diamond.

In 2007 you were diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, what were your initial symptoms?
I started to feel a bit stiff, my shoulders started to hurt and I was in absolute agony. I couldn’t get into my clothes or shoes! I went to see a rheumatologist and after a physical and blood tests I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.” I couldn’t speak properly, or swallow properly as it was affecting the joint in my throat and he put me on 12 steroids a day. What annoyed me is that they started so slowly, I just wanted it sorting as soon as possible, but unfortunately it’s not that sort of illness, it never goes away. They start you on the medication very, very slowly and after two years I thought I might as well be dead. The steroids blew me up to three times my normal size, when the director looked at me and said you’re getting fat I looked at his stomach and said it’s not only me! I was told that it would get worse before it got better, but I gradually managed to reduce the steroids. But towards the end of 2007, my son, Mark, who is a biochemist, advised me that the medication might be the cause. I came off them and felt better immediately. At the start of 2008, I read about the relatively new anti-TNF drugs, which help slow the progression of RA, so with my doctor’s permission I began being injected with it once a week. It was great, my stiffness and pain had gone but I was incredibly tired. Further tests showed that my vitamin B12 levels were low (the medication prevents proper absorption of it), so she was prescribed a course of B12 injections. Now, for the first time in three years I feel stabilised, with more energy, and I’m back to my normal self.

You’ve recently joined forces with the NRAS (National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society) to highlight the importance of their volunteer network...
One of the reasons that the RA approached me is to prove that there is life after RA, you can carry on and I have done. I’ve never missed a day’s work, when it first started they offered to release me from my contract, they phoned my agent behind my back. My agent very sensibly said “Whatever you do don’t release her from her contract; it’s the one thing that’ll keep her going.” I’m happy to help the RA because it’s such a depressing illness and there’s such a sense of isolation.

How do you manage to deal with working and the illness?
One thing with RA you have to do is to rest more, but if you’re working you can’t. The pain was mainly in my shoulders, elbows, feet and my hands and was agonising.

I believe you suffer from depression?
I’ve always been bordering on the depressive side, most people in show business are, and I take medication for that.

How are you feeling at the moment?
I’m what I would call stable at the moment. I get the odd flare up if I do too much but I have been able to carry on working. Some days you’re so tired you can’t even be bothered to talk to anybody, then it becomes a vicious circle.


You’re famous for playing Pearl in Last of the Summer Wine, what makes it so popular?
I think it’s the fact that all members of the family can sit and watch it without any embarrassment. The scenery is so beautiful it’s an integral part of the show, so for about half an hour people can go in to a world of fantasy where everything works out in the end. I think that’s what we need in these uncertain times. The BBC said they were going to ‘rest it’, so I launched a campaign to save it and they were inundated with calls so they had to bring us back!

When’s it due on the screen then?
Well I don’t know, we’ll be the last to be told, we’re only the actors you know! But, probably sometime in the New Year.

What was it like to work with Thora Hird and Kathy Staff?
I was a bit over awed. Kathy was lovely. When I started, I was offered one scene, one episode. It was filmed on location with a private screening in front of 200 at the TV centre, at that time we had 11 million people watching each week, which didn’t bother me, but I was terrified of performing the private screening. Kathy came up to me and said, “The audience will love it, if anything goes wrong, just enjoy yourself we’re all your friends”. I’ll never forget that remark.

And Thora?
Thora had a great eye for detail and was a true professional. One evening we were having supper together and she told a tale about the time she had been three minutes late for a rehearsal and her father said “It may only be three minutes for one person, but if it’s 20 people that’s 60 minutes late and that’s one thing that you don’t do!”

Ironically I believe your mother was called Pearl. Are there any similarities between her and your on-screen character?
My mum was a very strong woman. It’s quite bizarre because I had left show business when my kids were young but when my husband died in 1981 I thought I’d give acting another go. I got an audition for The Last of the Summer Wine stage play, when I arrived the director said “Can you do a Yorkshire accent?” Which immediately got ‘my back up’ and I said of course, I’m an actress! I got the part of Pearl and we were on the road for a while and then went to Bournemouth. Bournemouth is my home town and my mother’s name was Pearl, and I thought this is weird. I was then asked to join the team, I’m sure my mother was watching me and pushing things in my direction!

There’s got to be divine intervention!
Somebody once said to me “You never know what’s around the corner, if you’re feeling miserable one day you don’t know what’s around the corner!”

Do you think Pearl or Marina will ever become friends maybe over a glass of wine?
We’ve always said that if Pearl and Marina make up it’s the end of the series. Jane (Marina), Robert (Howard) and I were having a cup of tea once when a woman came up to us and said “I’m never going to watch your show again! You’re all liars aren’t you? You’re supposed to be the worse of enemies and here you are sitting having a cup of tea together!” Sometimes the audience think that hate is real!

Do you think Pearl will ever stray?
I’d love her to get the chance!

Does Pearl love Howard?
Of course she does!

Does he love her?
Of course he does!

So why does he sneak around with Marina?
Well, it makes it more interesting. Howard never quite gets it together with Marina, if he did, that’s the show all over! Pearl knows what he’s up to, because she knows Howard. I remember one scene where Pearl hits him on the head and says “I’ll call him what I like, but don’t you dare criticise him!” Yeah, now that’s love… Call it love, it’s marriage! It’s a reflection of real life, although for comedic purposes it’s a bit heightened.

In 1995 you discovered you had two half brothers and a half sister.
I was three when my parents divorced and I spent most of my early life in South Africa. We came back to England but then we went back to South Africa and we lost touch with my father. I had no idea that he had remarried and had three more children. When I was 15, I appeared in a religious documentary film and because I had South African heritage it was printed in a paper in South Africa, it got a lot of publicity, my father showed my picture to his children and said, that girl is your sister; one day you must find her.

I’ve got goose pimples! Did he not think to find you himself?
No. He’d got a new life. I didn’t particularly miss him. Lisa, his granddaughter, became a dancer and moved to the UK. One day I got a letter and it said ‘Dear Juliette Kaplan, I have to inform you that you have two-half brothers and a half-sister that have been looking for you for 35 years,’ and I thought “Oh my God, what do I do?” Being the type of person that never looks back I decided not to do anything about it, but my children said “Don’t be so silly, phone the girl!” So I phoned Lisa and she came round to see me. She looked exactly like my daughter and within ten minutes I was in the kitchen making supper and the girls were talking as if they’d known each other all their life. We then phoned South Africa and her father picked up the phone and I said “Hello, I’m your sister.” and the first thing he said was “Thank God, I’m not the oldest anymore!” and I knew then that we’d get on. I went over to South Africa for a reunion, we get on marvellously, they’ve been over to see me many times, they’re my family.

How do you like to spend your spare time?
I love playing Bridge, but my favourite hobby is snorkelling. I’ve often taken myself off to places like Sharm-el Sheikh and gone snorkelling for a fortnight.

Do you go on your own?
Yes.

Good for you! How old are you now? 69?
No darling, I’m seventy.

Are you single?
Yes, when my husband died, I didn’t want to remarry. I have this motto ‘Why make one man miserable, when you can make a hundred men happy?’

How true.

Interview from issue 29 Dec/Jan 2010. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

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Suzanne Shaw

07 Dec 2009
Suzanne Shaw is a lady who certainly knows how to make her mark, after achieving national acclaim when at the tender age of 20 she won a place in the pop group Hear’say, she has continued to develop her talents on stage, screen and of course, on ice, where in 2008 she won the show ‘Dancing on Ice’ and then was voted ‘Celebrity Mum of the Year’, do her talents know no bounds? I decided to find out and caught up with Suzanne on her 28th birthday at The Lowry where she is performing in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.

So White Christmas at the Lowry, how does that feel?
I’m really excited and happy too. Very rarely do I get to be in the North for this length of time so it’s really nice and I’ve got the opportunity to be here for six or seven weeks. So it’s going to be great. It means that I can go to the Trafford Centre and get all my Christmas shopping done!

What’s your character Judy Haines like?
She’s called Trudy isn’t she?

I thought it was Judy...
Oh, is it? Thanks for that. My last interview of the day and I’ve been saying Trudy! Basically they’re a duo, two sisters, one tends to do more dancing and the other sings more. I’m playing more of a dancing part so I need to wipe the cobwebs off my tap shoes and get practising. She’s quite a quirky character so I’m looking forward to playing her.

Well, after winning Skating on Ice I’m sure you’ll mange the steps okay, do you still skate?
I do, but due to the risk element involved it’s probably better to take it slow now. I’ve got so many shows lined up so I can’t afford to pull myself out of a contract if I hurt myself.

You shot to fame with the Pop Idols band Hear’Say, how does it compare to performing on stage?
It’s fabulous to finally get accepted in to musical theatre. I got nominated for a theatre award for playing Roxie Hart in Chicago, which was fantastic.

What was your childhood like?
It was great! Weekends were all about dance festivals, plays, amateur dramatics and singing lessons, everything based around entertainment.

Would you ever fancy joining a soap opera?
No, I don’t. I like the fact that for three months I do a job and then it’s something completely different. I really like to do a variety of things. I don’t like to be based in one place or sticking to the same role, I like to dip in and out of different places, it is something I am very passionate about, I thrive on the idea of being unemployed and wondering what will happen next, and it’s so exciting! I like to feel the fear!


You currently live in Buckinghamshire; do you miss the North at all?
I do miss not being able to ring my friends and asking them to meet up for a cuppa or saying “Let’s just go out for a glass of wine tonight, but now we’ve kind of moved to an area where we can still do that. We live in a very small little village and it’s very much like it is up North. But I do miss not being able to spend time with my niece. But we always try and make sure we go on holiday together and do things together so they don’t really miss out too much, but it is hard, not being able to just drop your child off with your dad!

Favourite place in the North?
That would have to be Bury.

Aah, famous for its black pudding...
Oh gosh, yeah! I love a bit of black pudding.

So how will you be spending Christmas?
I’m not sure who we’re spending it with for our turkey dinner, but in the evening we’re going over to my friend Helen’s house, I’ve known her all my life and we will, no doubt, be drinking quite a few Sambucas! What I don’t like about Christmas day is when everyone watches the latest Bond movie and then falls asleep, I find it dull.

I like to play games and stuff like that!
I like to get intoxicated, although, no doubt we will be playing charades as well.

How did it feel to be voted Celebrity Mum of the Year 2008?
I know! It’s a really odd choice. I shouldn’t say that should I? What I mean is, it’s quite an odd award, but it’s nice to be acknowledged as a mother because it’s my first job in my life, it’s my first priority.

I believe your Cory has just started school. What was that like?
It was horrible, it was really, really horrible. He was fine on his first day, it was his second day that he cried, he found it a little bit too much I think.

Now a little birdie told me that one day you would like to adopt...
I would love to. My husband wants to have one of our own first. I’m very fortunate in life; I have the money and the space to be able to do it. Probably in the future I will. There are children out there that need a home.

Being a mum of two myself, have you any tips on how to manage to keep the work/life balance?
Oh, I don’t know! I’m constantly juggling!

Is your house a bombsite like mine?
Oh yeah! I don’t have a cleaner, today I’ve left my room in a right tip! I was chucking everything out of my suitcase as I didn’t know what to wear today. I blitz my house and I keep it like that for about a week and then suddenly it becomes an absolute state again. I just can’t keep to grips with keeping hold of life!

Well, from where I’m sitting you seem to be doing a pretty good job to me!

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Dave Spikey

15 Oct 2009
A major turning point in the life of Farnworth born comedian Dave Spikey came one Sunday evening in 1993 when Spikey got a phone call to see if 'he could get to Blackpool in half an hour.’ Cannon and Ball were appearing at The Opera House and they needed a compere immediately.
Success soon followed Spikey, the former BioMedical Scientist went on to win the Best Newcomer award at the British Comedy Awards, and then starred in Channel 4’s comedy Phoenix Nights as Jerry St. Clair. Northern Life’s Lee Banks caught up with Dave.

You were born David Bramwell, where did Spikey come from? And do you ever get inquisitive looks when you’ve got to sign your name on cheques?
You do really because people recognise you and ask if it is my real name! And I go no, no... It’s Eric Spikey! (laughs). The name Spikey comes from years ago, when I had a flat top hair cut, well, my hair just didn’t like it, it just spiked out in all directions. The first day I went to work at the hospital with it, everyone was saying ‘hey up, Spikey’s here’ and from then on it just stuck.

You’re currently on tour, how’s it going?
I’ve had a great time; it’s been going for about a year. I’ve done seventy odd shows now, it’s my longest ever tour. My first tour was exceptionally good, it was crafted from material I had accumulated over the years, you know ten years of doing stand up. But with this one I wrote it from scratch, it’s got a theme; best medicine, based on my time in NHS.

You recently launched a new book I gave you my kidney and you broke my heart what’s the book about?
Well, I get to gigs a bit earlier now, and go around and check out the local shops, have a coffee, and read the local newspaper, because there will always be a story there, you just got to mention a couple of local landmarks and characters and they love it! So I ended up collecting them around the country and thought it would make a cracking little book, so that’s what I’ve been doing, getting stories together and editing them and putting them all together. Do you ever have to change your performances for more southern audiences? No, never do. On my first tour I used talk a lot about Wigan, I love Wigan, I love the culture and I love the pie culture. I love the things you hear, I went to the JJB stadium once and I asked this woman how do you get there, and she said ‘Well my brother takes me!’ (laughs) I don’t make things exclusively northern, like going to the shops, going on holiday, what’s in the paper, its generic really.

Where about in the north is your favourite place? Other than Chorley obviously....
I love the Leeds-Liverpool canal; I used to have a canal boat and I love going over there. You see the county from a completely different view, it’s away from the noise and the roads and I love it up through the tops and Barrowford, you come through that tunnel in Foulridge and it’s like Narnia, it takes your breath away. People don’t know how lovely it is, they think the North is all mills, cobbles and whippets.

You’ve been doing a lot of charity work I’ve noticed....
Well yes, it’s good to do when you’re in a privileged position, it’s mad really, I worked in the hospital all those years and after doing a gruelling 36 hour shift helping to save lives no one would ever say ‘Dave, flipping good job last night’, you didn’t get any of that. So, by just turning up or doing the auction or sending some stuff can really lift the profile of the charity and that help to raise money.

How long have you been a vegetarian for?
Oh about 20 years now, it’s just become a way of life. It’s got to come from inside, something you got to feel strongly about and I do. I’m a big animal lover. I’ve had nine dogs, 36 chickens, four goats, turkeys, ducks and sheep that were rescued from an abattoir, and you know it doesn’t take you long when your having your breakfast in the garden with all the animals around, you start thinking I shouldn’t be having this bacon really, doesn’t feel right.

For your chance to win a copy of ‘I gave you my kidney and you broke my heart’ simply answer the following question and place your entry on the competition coupon on page 157.

Interview from issue 28 Oct/Nov 09. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

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Phil Spencer

08 Oct 2009
Hot Property
Interview with Phil Spencer
by Karen Shaw

Property guru and presenter of channel 4’s ‘Location, Location, Location’ Phil Spencer, offers Northern Life readers his top house tips in conjunction with SPAB’s National Improvement Week starting November 20th. Read on to discover why prevention is better than cure...

You’re supporting SPAB in a nutshell Phil, what is the campaign about?
It’s a campaign to encourage people to think of home maintenance, rather than leaving things too late, or it’s too expensive and disruptive. We’re encouraging people to think of their properties and maintenance especially at this time of year.

With winter approaching have you got any top maintenance tips?
The easiest two are the most common problems, which are blocked gutters and cracked down pipes. I go in to so many houses that have got blocked gutters if left unattended water spills out and goes into the wall, and you don’t know it’s happening until it’s too late, a sure sign that this is happening is when paint work or wall paper gets damaged.

Mmm, that sounds familiar Phil, I have a similar problem but water is coming from under the windowsills...
It could be from poor windowsills, I’ve seen a lot of windows where the paint looks fine but if you go to touch it your hand goes straight through, the wood had rotted underneath... that’s a more expensive problem.

Oh dear! I’d better get it seen to, so do you do the maintenance in your house?
Yes. I certainly clean the gutters and I’m very conscious of making sure the airbricks are fit for purpose so there is good air circulation, sometimes air pipes get blocked by grass or dirt, if you keep them clear you keep the air circulating under the floor boards and that always helps.

Where does your love of houses come from? Is it from a cosmetic point of view, the sales side or are you a builder by trade?
Well, I trained as a surveyor. I got involved to help people buying property. The accepted method of buying property is completely biased against the person who’s spending the money, all help is traditionally only available to the people selling the house. I think that’s very inequitable, very unfair, but, unfortunately it’s an accepted method.

You’ve been working on a new programme called ‘Down Under’ you’re flying solo with that one, is there’s no Kirstie?
No, I made that when she was filming Kirstie’s Homemade Home earlier this year; she has just started making the second series of that.

. So ‘Down Under’ what is it about?
My job is helping four British families buy properties in Australia, my wife Fiona is Australian so we go over there quite regularly, it’s a country I know and love, so I was helping them move over there and find houses, I am also interested in comparing jobs and life styles, what you have over here in the UK versus what you get over there.

Would you consider moving out there?
Well maybe one day, it’s not in the game plan right now.

You and Kirstie are a formidable team, how did you two meet?
We met at the screen test, we knew of each other, because we were probably the only two people who were offering the type of advice and help for purchases at the time we had been called in by the production company who was thinking about making the programme, but they didn’t know anything about it and it is obviously something that everybody does, but no one does it very often so no one gets very much experience at it. There’s lots of hopes, dreams and aspirations. There’s lots of twist and turns in it and lots of emotion involved and hopefully a happy twist at the end. They rang me and said you have experience in this could you come and give us some consultancy for about half an hour on what we’re going to do... so I did that and thought little about it until I got a phone call saying that was really useful we haven’t got a presenter who knows anything about purchase will you come in and do a screen test.

Your on screen relationship with Kirstie is a very honest one...
Well, yes we are very friendly. I mean I think if we weren’t it wouldn’t work, we are very different but we get on extremely well and our feeling with house hunting is that it should be fun. I mean it’s the biggest shopping trip of your life, it should be fun, it’s emotional, it’s stressful and it is not always straight forward we just try and make sure they’re having a good time.

How do you manage not to throttle some of the characters you get sometimes?
It can be difficult and Kirsty sometimes does, especially when she’s pregnant, she’s not really got very much patience when she’s pregnant!

You’ve travelled the length and breadth of the country, where up North would you like to live?
Harrogate is a favourite, I think it’s stunning. Last year though we filmed quite a bit around Clitheroe and I hadn’t seen much of Lancashire, and I have to say I was very taken with it.

Harrogate is lovely isn’t it?
Oh yes. Well I’m a country boy, big wide open spaces and nature and that’s what you’ve got up there.

What advice would you give to people thinking of selling, should they stay or should they go?
It’s actually better to trade up the market when the market has fallen, financially that makes more sense, we’ve got to accept that interest rates are not going to be where they are now for years and years and there’s only way it go and that’s up.

You celebrate your 40th birthday in December, how will you be celebrating?
I’ll be having a party. I never like my birthday, I much prefer other people’s birthdays, and this is the first one I’ve ever really celebrated. Don’t you know that 40 is the new 30?

Imagine if you could invite three people, dead or alive, to your 40th party who would they be?
My paternal grandfather who I never met, Ian Botham and there has to be a beautiful woman, I know, Halle Berry.

What’s your favourite northern dish?
Ooh, it would have to be roast beef and Yorkshire puddings, is there a finer meal?

Now I’ve got to ask this Phil, what’s it like being a heart throb?
I don’t know ask Kirsty!

What are your future plans? What are you working on at the moment?
Well we’re doing ‘Location, Location, Location’ and ‘Relocation, Relocation!’ And I am also writing a book, due to be published in April next year about adding value to your home.

Interview from issue 28 Oct/Nov 09. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

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Kim Woodburn

08 Oct 2009
'Talking Dirty' with Kim Woodburn
by Karen Shaw

The Queen of Clean and presenter of ‘How Clean Is Your House’ Kim Woodburn talks exclusively to Northern Life about depression, Dickinson and of course dirt.

How did it all come about, how did you get that role?
I had been a professional cleaner for years. I had a smashing job and was living in a cottage on the west side of Kent; the boss was only there for six weeks a year. Then in January 2003 I got a call from Jane at the cleaning agency, she said a TV company has called, looking for a really good cleaner to present a TV show.’ Of course at the time I thought to myself ‘What are they ringing me for?’ So I said, ‘Look I’m 61, I’ve got a good job here, however she eventually convinced me and an assistant producer from the TV show invited me down to London and three days later this great big car arrived to take me to the meeting in London. They found me very funny and I said ‘hey if you’d been cleaning lavs for years you’d been bloody funny or gone potty one or the other!’ I was invited for a proper audition, as I arrived I saw Aggie standing on the steps and I said‘Oh my God, It’s flaming Harry Potter reincarnated.’ She took one look at me ‘Oh my, it’s Hagrid in drag!’ Personally I think she was just jealous of my beauty, being so voluptuous and gorgeous. In the meantime she was like... well she wasn’t a cleaner, she was a journalist, and she did journalism on good house keeping. Aggie wasn’t a cleaner; she was a good journalist, Good House Keeping magazine. We were instructed to clean this house whilst being filmed, we had a great time. Three days later I got a call to say I had got the job.

How did the pay compare to your job at the time?
I was making 12k a year and that was before taxes! Cleaners aren’t wealthy. Well, I was offered 2k per show and they had offered me seven shows so I thought bloody Nora I’ve won the lottery here, I’ve hit the jackpot! And then she said by the way... ‘How high can you get your hair?’

How do you get your hair up there?
Oh, I’ve been doing it for years; I had a similar hairstyle in the 70s, it was all the rage, I call it my ‘Widow Twankey’.

You never know what life’s got in store for you, that’s the wonderful thing... isn’t it?
Oh yes, I would never of guessed anything like this would have happened at 67 years of age, I’m the oldest presenter on TV. People always used to say, ‘Oh she’s just a cleaner’, because you’re invisible you see. I’ve done awfully well and I said to my husband Pete, if this money keeps coming in the one thing we’ve got to do is buy a house with cash. So, I saved and saved and I bought a big house and now I wake up every morning and think ‘Kimmy girl you’ve not half done well cleaning those lavvys.’

Well, Kim where there’s muck, there’s brass…
Mmm, there’s been plenty of muck!

Sometimes I get the impression, that you and Aggie irritate each other?
Well, of course, she can be annoying. We don’t socialise because I don’t go out much! I’m a ‘home body’ but Aggie’s got a massive social life!

A recent survey showed that women do five months more than men cleaning the house...
When I was a kid, women didn’t go to work, but now it’s all different everything’s changed in fifty years, women want more. If a couple are both going out to work, I believe that men should do 50% of the work, I think the women of Britain need to get stricter with their partners and make sure the men are doing their fair share of cleaning too. I’m going to offend here but I still want to be treated like a lady. I still want the door opened for me. The respect men had for us, they don’t have for us anymore. It’s nice for a man to say, ‘you look lovely’, but some women are offended when being paid a compliment. I just don’t understand it! I think the women of Britain need to get stricter with their partners and make sure the men are doing their fair share of cleaning too”.

Talking about marriage... you’ve been married to Peter for 30 years what’s the secret to a successful marriage?
My first marriage was torture. I was married and divorced in six weeks. I don’t have the secret, I don’t know how we’ve survived for 30 years. I hear women say ‘Oh he never puts the toilet seat down.’ Who bloody cares?’ We just don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill. If you’ve got a good man and a good marriage people should stop worrying about flaming nonsense.

Kim, many of the characters you get on ‘How Clean is Your House?’ profess to be depressed and therefore incapable of basic housework, what are your thoughts, are they really depressed or just lazy?
I think you’ve got a point, I bet around a quarter of them have had an awfully sad life, nothing has gone right, but the other 75% are just bone flaming idle. In life there’s many things we don’t like but we’ve got to do, it’s called discipline. You can’t go through saying you’ll only do what you want to do. To do jobs you don’t like doing is good for you.

What did you want to do when you were a child?
Well, I had a very unhappy childhood. I was a very unhappy soul, I had no education, I was incredibly unhappy, though the one thing I wanted to do was go to America and I did, when I was 42 years old with Peter we were there for 11 years, we worked together cleaning the big houses.

Who’s the best cleaner?
I am! My husband is tidy, but he’s a dust bunny! When I’ve been away for a couple of months, the cat is covered in dust.

Did you grow up in a clean house Kim?
Well yes I did. My mother kept a clean house and my grandmother well, she was spotless, she would wash the washing machine.

She cleaned the washing machine!
Yes every week! I do too!

You were christened Patricia Mary MacKenzie. Why and when did you change your name?
In my early 20s I saw a film with Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak, she was gorgeous! I thought I’ll have some of that. I never changed it on my birth certificate I just started to call myself Kim.

Well it does suit you... now it’s been recently reported that you’re leaving the programme is this true?
Yes.

Why?
Well lovie, I’ve done six series and I want to go out on top. I don’t want people to get sick of us.

Is the show going to continue Kim?
Well they might get somebody else, if they do jolly good luck to them, I’ve had a marvellous time.

Any future plans?
I’d like to do some acting, but I’m open minded, I wouldn’t mind being a presenter on another show... maybe an antiques type show!

I could see you and David Dickinson making a great duo...
I don’t want to sound awful, but doesn’t he look nice, the way he dresses, I wish our men had more pride. And with that hair! He just gets away with it doesn’t he?

Speaking about people on budgets, what essential cleaning items would you recommend having in your cupboard...
Lemons, vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, mix it together so it’s thick. It becomes a mild abrasion and won’t scratch a thing, and it kills odours! It can be so good for fridges, mix the paste, get a damp cloth and you should see the muck that comes off! And when you put your nose down the odours gone!

Describe your perfect day Kim, how you like to spend your time?
I’d lie in until 10am potter around, make sure the house looks nice, then Peter and I have tea and toast in the garden, then spend the day outside reading relaxing with Daisy our cat have a few whiskeys and watch TV, people always say ‘oh I never watch telly’, but I do, I love it. Then finish the day off in a little old country pub.

What’s your favourite TV programme?
Ooh, well I like those crimes shows. 

Where is your favourite place in the North?
Well, I lived in Liverpool from the age of 16 to 42, and it’s where I met Peter, he’s a scouser! Liverpool has had its problems but do you know, the atmosphere there is wonderful. Oh and Yorkshire too, I love the Yorkshire folk, they are great cooks. If we ever film in Yorkshire we know we’re going to get a jolly good breakfast.

Talking of food, what’s your favourite northern dish?
A pan of scouse with a bit of red cabbage and a bit of ketchup if I’m feeling naughty!

That was going to be my next question red or brown sauce?
Brown! Well, I alternate; I’m a very changeable lady.

Interview from issue 28 Oct/Nov 09. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

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Des O'Connor

08 Oct 2009
A True Gent

by Karen Shaw

Des O’ Connor is a legend in his own time. With a career spanning over 50 years in show business he has continued to entertain the nation with his sparkling wit and dulcet singing tones. He has performed over a thousand solo shows at the London Palladium, as well as appearing in millions of front rooms with his numerous TV shows. He really is slicker than slick and he’s heading up North.

Des, you’re on the verge of your nationwide tour, are you looking forward to it?
I always look forward to it and this time we have about 22 dates and will be the first time in 46 years that I’ve never had a television series. When I left Countdown it was because I wanted to get back to doing live performances and live television. The sort of things we used to do on Des and Mel was the best two and half hours of any day.

What can the audience expect this time?
I don’t know! Not everything can be completely spontaneous but we just haven’t rehearsed what we are saying, it just happens. In the first part of the show it’s just my-self and Ray Monk on piano who is a brilliant musician but most of that is really off the top of our heads.

So, you just do it as you feel it then?
Yeah, well we have a pattern, I’ll say things like ‘has anyone got any personal problems?’ and then someone will shout out and you find yourself in the most hilarious conversations. I wouldn’t want people to think they are going to be embarrassed. I would never go up to someone or point someone out, but, if they want to volunteer to talk to me then they do so and that’s why I like playing the slightly smaller venues. I don’t really like to go bigger than 1,000 seater, it’s like a party and it’s more intimate. Another thing we do, which is a game that actually started by accident when Ray Monk walked off the stage in a pretend huff about something I’d said, I thought ‘Right, you little devil,’ so I said to the audience ‘does anybody play piano?’ and somebody came up and played, so most nights now we’ll do it and someone will come up. I had one woman that came up and played like Les Dawson in his prime and there was another little guy that came up and he only knew one song and that was God Save the Queen!

Well, I think it’s lovely that you get the audience involved…
All that kind of stuff happens in the first part of the show and then the second part of the show is the cream, we have a giggle.

I am going to come and see you on your last date of the tour which is at The Muni in Colne.
Oh yes, I hope it isn’t my last one! (laughing). Well, see what you have just said, anything anyone says you can turn it into a bit of a laugh, it doesn’t matter. I have never been to the theatre in Colne and I’ve never been to Lancaster either, so I’m really looking forward to it.

I’m sure you will have a good time; northern folks are so friendly and ‘down to earth’.
That sounds great. I’m from a working class family and I never ever behaved in a ‘la de da’, diva way. I just want to have a giggle and from the moment I walk out on that stage. It’s not a case of how I’m going to break the ice or what shall we do. Oh gosh, I’m just looking at the dates and I’m in Colne on Friday 13th, I’ve never been there before and they send me on Friday the 13th! But, I can guarantee there will be lots laughs and lots of fun, you can even bring the kids because there might be a couple of cheeky lines but nothing crude or horrible, it’s a family night out.

Well I may bring my children with me…
Are you old enough to have children?

Oh, you charmer, yes I’m 38. I have a six year old daughter, Ruby and a son Frank who is two.
Well, if Ruby wouldn’t mind a toy boy I have a little boy Adam who’s five soon!

He’s a handsome little devil isn’t he?
Oh yes, everyone says he is a little Brad Pitt then they say like father like son!

So is he going to be there?
No, he can’t come that far, I don’t think he has ever seen me do concert, he has watched me on Countdown. A couple of years ago on my birthday they gave me a cake shaped like the Countdown clock and I took it home and showed it to him, then every time he saw the clock on TV he’d say ‘cake!’

In this edition, we’re running a feature on World War II, I was wondering how you were affected by the war?
I’m not old enough to remember things like that! I did live in London at the tail end of the blitz but we were evacuated to Northampton.

You were in the RAF as well I believe?
Yes, we were dropping fire bombs on the Kaiser (laughing). Yes I was in the air force but when Hitler heard that I’d joined up and he thought that’s it!

Do you think they should bring National Service back?
Well, at the risk of creating quite a riot it certainly didn’t do me any harm. I was always a Mummy’s boy and I was always at home and didn’t go out much, so I think it helped me to broaden my outlook on life. It made me more independent and I could do things for myself and function without Mum and Dad. I don’t want to get on my soapbox as it’s not really my style but I do think a lot of young guys today don’t have any direction. They don’t know where to go or what to do, whereas the air force, for me was about camaraderie, I did athletics and all sorts of things I would never have done unless I’d gone into the air force, I’d say it wouldn’t do any harm to bring it back. If it hadn’t been for the RAF I would have never gone into showbiz because I was literally ordered on stage. I had been doing impressions of my Seargent and I heard ‘Very funny O’Connor, talent contest this weekend.’ I replied that I was on weekend leave but he said ‘no, you’re not!’ He told me he would see I got no leave for the next six months so I literally was ordered into a talent contest which I then won.

Now I believe that you were in a car accident when you were young and your parents were told that you would never walk again. Is it true that when your dad caught you standing without your calipers and said ‘if he can stand, he can walk’?
Yes, I couldn’t walk until I was seven, and I’d been walking for six months when I got run over by a car, so I was back in hospital again for ten months. Six months after the car accident, I was playing by the hospital, digging in a sand pit. We didn’t know it was a building site and half the blooming building fell down on top of us! So I had a season ticket for the hospital!

What was your childhood like Des?
Oh, it was a lot of fun, as clichéd as it may sound. My Mum and Dad couldn’t be more helpful. My Mum was a cleaner and my dad was, well, on my birth certificate it says he was a ‘scavenger’ in those days that was a dustman or road sweeper. They were the most fantastic people. In fact one of the most amazing nights of my life was at the London Palladium I asked them to come and see me at the Royal Command Performance, when I was appearing. I managed to get them in the royal box and rolled out the red carpet for them and sent a car to pick them up from Northampton. That night I sang their favourite song, ‘You’ll Never Know’, at the end my Dad came and put his arms around me and said ‘Good job son.’ My Mum came out of the Ladies room and said ‘I’ve just used the Queen’s loo!’ (laughs). That was her big moment! They were wonderful.

What was your first job?
I was a printer for three days at a seven months apprentice. I didn’t think that was for me very much. I found myself on a bicycle delivering parcels and I bumped into a mate, who was delivering meat, and he was getting paid five pound a week and I was getting 15 shillings so I decided printing wasn’t for me. I left there, then I got a job in a shoe and boot factory, as a complaints manager when there was something wrong with the shoes they came to me. But they’re the only two jobs I’ve ever had, then I entered the ‘entertainment factory’ and I haven’t done a day’s work since! (laughs)

Is it true that you have one of Buddy Holly’s guitars?
Yes, I did a tour with him in 1958, the only tour he did sadly. At the end of the tour he gave me his guitar because I was giving him jokes and he was getting big laughs! I’ve still got it; it’s a very proud possession.

What was Buddy like?
I remember on one occasion he was struggling to get out of bed, so they sent me in. I started tugging on his feet (he was six foot two), I was tugging on his feet saying ‘Come on Buddy, the coach wants to go.’ and he’d say ‘Don’t do that Des,’ When I asked him why not he replied ‘because I’m tall enough!’ (laughs) He had a good sense of humour.

In 1979 you launched ‘Des O’Connor Tonight’ who was the most inspirational person you ever interviewed.
There’s not many I’d call inspirational, but enjoyable! Because for me, it was wonderful interviewing people like Barbra Streisand, people that you don’t normally get on TV shows. In fact that was the only show she did in front of a live audience, though I believe Jonathan Ross is going to interview her soon.

What qualities do you think make a good talk show host?
There’s two things to remember, you’re not the guest, and you’ve got to look after the guest, and don’t talk all over them, give them space, listen to them and if they say something you’ve never had any idea they might say just go with it, just relax and enjoy. I don’t do interviews, I do conversations! An interview is where you have a list of questions and you fire them off and you get answers, I mean Parkinson was great. It’s of you, of the moment. When I got the talk show in England, after I’d worked in America for so long, I thought I know what I want to do I want to bring American comedians in. I saw some young lads out there and on that first series, I had David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld all completely unknown! Les Dawson was my very first guest, I remember one question I asked him, that I knew would wind him up. I asked ‘Do you believe humour is an aphrodisiac?’, to which he replied ‘The only woman I’ve had outside of marriage was a suffragette and she was chained to the railings outside the pub!’

Who has been your most awkward guest?
Whitney Huston was a pain, she insisted upon going on first to which we agreed. When we went out there to do the show, she changed her mind saying she wasn’t going to do the interview. But, I went out there and just introduced her and of course she did come out then. But, I think she had her own problems and issues at that time.

Your new album ‘Inspired’ is fantastic...
I’m so pleased to hear you say that, all the tracks are original. It’s a collection of 18 original songs, it’s a celebration of the return of romantic ballads and swing sounds. I hope people enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it.

You look absolutely great for 77, how on earth do you do it?
Lie about your age, I’m 42 actually! (laughs) I just think the attitude of enjoying life and seeing the good side of anything that bothers you. Whatever your issues, there are people with ten times worse problems. I don’t want to sound clichéd this is real, if you’ve got love and laughter in your family and good healthy children around, then you’ve got something to be enthusiastic about.

You were awarded a CBE in 2008 weren’t you?
Yeah, Cute But Entertaining!

What was it like meeting the Queen?
It was lovely and she did actually say thank you so much for so many hours of enjoyable entertainment, and I thought isn’t that nice after all the insults I’ve received in the past.

You got quite a lot of flack from Morecambe and Wise…
They only insulted me once in fourteen years. I’ve even had my album thrown in a river, but affection lasts a lot longer than admiration.

You smile in the face of adversity don’t you?
Well, I think we all take ourselves far too seriously. I’ve never had any real adversity or real tragedies in my life. Despondency should be a stepping stone to something better, you’ve got to think ‘well, what have I learned from it, how can I improve?’ And over the years that’s what’s been happening to me. Another thing about show business is you’re never completely at the top, there’s always something new, there’s always another challenge, there’s always something exciting, you can never get bored.

Have you done much travelling up North?
Well, Countdown was filmed in Leeds. I would go up there three to four times a month. I’m thrilled about visiting the North again. I’m getting to go to a few little venues I’ve never been before.

Do you have a favourite northern dish?
Ooh, Yorkshire pudding. When I used to visit Leeds, I once visited a restaurant, when I sat down for dinner in the middle of this plate was this great big Yorkshire pudding and gravy and I thought this is weird as it was a starter! It was lovely though.

Des and Mel, do you still keep in contact with that bright northern lass?
We never stop talking her and me! (In thick northern accent). We go out for dinner every so often and we get asked to keep it down because we can’t stop laughing! You and Mel are both capable of talking the hind legs off a donkey! You certainly are a good talker!

Des’s Northern Tour Dates

Sunday 25th October
The Grand Theatre, Leeds
Tel:08448 482706

Friday 13th November
Grand Theatre, Lancaster
Tel:  01524 64695

Sunday 15th November
The Muni, Colne
Tel: 01282 661234

Interview from issue 28 Oct/Nov 09. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

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Terry Waite

28 Jul 2009
Worth the Waite
By Karen Shaw

Church envoy Terry Waite went to Beirut in January 1987 to negotiate the release of several hostages being held there. His intention was to be there for five days, but he ended up a hostage himself and was held captive for 1,760 days before being released on 18th November 1991. I was luckily enough to talk to fellow northerner Terry about people, politics and pies.

We recently ran a piece in Northern Life on the Rev. Branwell Evens and the Romany Society, it was so well received by our readers that we wanted to expand on the subject a little, I believe you’re a patron?
Yes I am. I think going back a little in history, as a child I read all the Romany books and what I didn’t discover until later on in life is that the bridesmaid from my parents’ wedding was Romany’s secretary. She typed his manuscripts for the BBC and for his books. When she died, I received all the books signed by Romany which was very interesting. He of course lived in Wilmslow in Cheshire and I lived next door in Style, so I used to find those books quite fascinating as he was really the first BBC naturalist. There was no television then so he used the radio as his medium. I wasn’t really old enough as he died in 1943 to listen to his actual programmes, but there were some repeats. Today there is a short part of one of the original programmes left which you can actually get from the Romany Society. So my connection to Romany goes back many years and I think that got known and I was simply asked if I would become president of the society.

Now I believe for Romany you have a memorial grant, what does that involve?
Well what we have been doing with that is setting up little projects in schools, for instance we set up a Romany Garden in a school in the Lake District with a little hide and TV cameras to encourage youngsters to engage in nature study. It’s a good scheme, the Romany Society is only small because it’s really the older generation who have actual memories of him or who read his books when they were little. We all meet up every year up in Cumberland where Romany used to take his Vargo. The young boy Tim who is mentioned in his book is still alive you know, he lives in Whitby now and him and his wife come and join us every year.

Currently ou live in Suffolk, but grew up in Cheshire. Do you class yourself as a northerner or a southerner?
Oh I’m a northerner, definitely a northerner; I still come up to the north quite a lot.

So being a northerner, what’s your favourite northern dish?
A really good Lancashire Hotpot, with roast potatoes on top. It’s really quite substantial and on a cold winter’s day you can’t beat it! But I’m also very fond of, although I shouldn’t eat these things, meat pies. When I was a boy I used to go and get meat pies straight from the oven and you’d bite them and the jelly would drip everywhere. Also, when I’m in Blackburn I always buy some black pudding, my grandson and I love it.

Describe a typical day...
Everyday is so different. Well, I’m 70 now, but I earn my living writing and lecturing and give about half a year away to all the various things that have interested me, there are so many worthy causes out there.

You were held in captivity for 1,760 days are you bitter towards the terrorists?
No not at all, I mean if you do a dangerous job like I do working for the release of people, if something goes wrong you have to take responsibility for that.

How did you keep motivated mentally and physically?
I suppose you just keep hope alive and don’t let hope diminish. You recognise that you just have to keep going, live for the day, live for the moment. You couldn’t think too far ahead because you weren’t sure of you were going to see the end of the day or not. So you recognise that life is all about the here and now.

How big a part did your beliefs and faith play in that time?
Well it just helped me to maintain hope, I’m not the sort of person to wear my heart or religion on my sleeve. I’m not a ‘happy clappy’ person, I think if you just know you have got a faith it enables you to maintain hope and not lose hope.

Does the same go for your wife Francis?
Oh yes, she kept the family together you know, she did very well! We have three daughters and one son, all the children have been through university and all got degrees and we now have three grandchildren, along with three dogs, two Springer’s and a new Border Terrier.

You’ve been married to Francis for 47 years, what’s the secret of a successful marriage?
Don’t stay at home to long, (Laughs). No seriously, don’t be afraid of developing your own life alongside marriage, your own interests. Francis and I have interests in common but we also have different interests. You also need to give each other space for your own development. I think the biggest mistake you can make in marriage is to expect the other person to be like you in every respect, well that’s just ridiculous. You have to learn how to live creatively with difference. I think if there is one thing I disagree with about marriage is when people say ‘two become one’, I know what they mean by that but if you took it literally, it’s a lot of old rubbish, you don’t become as one, you become yourself. It really should just be about supporting each other and being forgiving, recognising everyone makes mistakes, not everyone is perfect.

I’m talking to you in Llangollen, what are you doing there?
I’m the president of the International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales. Did you that Pavarotti started his career here? He was a member of his father’s choir and every year now we give a Pavarotti trophy to the best vocalist of the week.

What music do you like Terry?
Well I like classical really, I also like choral music, and I am also a patron of the Warrington Male Voice Choir.

My goodness, what don’t you do? Can you sing as well?
Unfortunately no, that’s why they win! I went with the choir to a concert on Saturday night in Worksop, so I came straight from there to here. The choir are going to enter a competition here in the Eisteddfod, the last time they came here was about five years ago and someone announced that not only was I president of the Eisteddfod but I was also patron of the choir and consequently I think the judges didn’t want to be bias so they put the Warrington Choir second instead of first and they have never forgiven me for that! But they are going to enter next year.

You’d better keep a low profile then Terry....
Certainly!

A man after my own heart...
Make it a unique town. I’m also a big fan of open air markets. The French know that very well and we are so stupid we don’t promote some of the good things in life; we have given it over to departmental stores! Well if you look at West Morland Farm Shop that place on the M6, it sells local produce and it’s the only one out of all the motorway services, people love it. It’s a good and unique example of how places are thriving selling local produce.

I’ve heard on the grapevine that you are considering politics...
Yes, I have also been asked to be an MP, but I haven’t made my mind up about yet. If I was going to stand, I would stand as an independent in the area where I live which would probably be Suffolk, but I haven’t made my mind up yet because if I did do it then I would have to give up a lot of things.

What issues do you feel need addressing?
Well there are a few things I think about parliament, there should be less MPs and less legislation coming out. Every time there is a problem they seem to by-pass the law and think that’s going to solve it which is total rubbish. Parliament ought to be much nearer to the people and the people ought to have more confidence in parliament. This will only occur when MPs can be straight and directly related to their constituents because at the moment they’re not. I could never belong to a party where you have to subscribe to the whip because it destroys your own individual conscience. If we could get 18-20 strong independent candidates and get them in parliament at least we could begin to make a difference regarding reform of parliament which is long overdue. What I don’t understand is why can’t we invest in farmers and land and grow more of our own food etc, I don’t understand why we have to invest everything into finance, which has proved to be a lot of hot air most of the time. Why don’t we encourage local business and local industry? Why do we penalise for instance local shop keepers with massive rates and rents so we put local people in towns out of business and encourage these departmental stores. We should give distinct advantages in any local town, they should get preferential rates, and we really have to support our local people. These are the issues that really concern me. I get sick when I listen to the damn silly party nonsense we all know that there is virtually no difference with the main parties now, new labour has gone to the right of the Tories, what we have got to have is the interest of the country and the people at heart.

Describe your perfect day...
My perfect day would be a day when I can try and live as much as possible for that day and for the people I meet that day, because you should make everyday a good day, make it last. Just live with the philosophy that today is life not tomorrow.

Do you consider yourself blessed?
Blessed, by whom?

The good Lord above Terence...
I think I’m just lucky that’s all, fortunate. I do believe in God but I think a lot of the language puts people off, you’re better putting into practice what you believe.

What’s your favourite place in the north?
The road to the south! (Laughs) No, I do like Cumberland in Eden Valley, it’s lovely there, beautiful. There’s no need to go abroad, just stay up north!

How would your wife describe you Terry?
Overweight she would probably say! By the way my wife is just one year younger than me and she is the same weight today as she was when we got married.

How has she managed that after having four children?
Well she’s 25 stone (Laughing), no I’m only joking. She is very slim; she can still do cartwheels and stand on her hands! Her mother and sister were PE teachers and our son is one so she has come from a physical family and our eldest granddaughter is a fantastic gymnast.

Are you athletic?
No, it takes me a long time just to get out of bed!

What is your favourite quote?
I came across one the other day, ‘politicians are people who look for trouble everywhere, find it, diagnose it incorrectly, and apply the wrong remedies’. It was by Marx.

Karl Marx?
No, Groucho Marx!

Interview from issue 27 Aug/Sept 09. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

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Melvyn Bragg Interview

27 Jul 2009
Karen talks to broadcaster and writer Melvyn Bragg

A Master of Words

Melvyn Bragg is a highly regarded broadcaster, writer and novelist with an illustrious career. He has has written, edited and produced The South Bank Show for over 30 years along and has penned many a TV script along with various film screenplays, including Jesus Christ Superstar. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Melvyn to talk about love, war and of course, the north to discover that for someone who really knows his job he’s not one to ‘bragg’ about it.

In October you will be speaking at the Ilkley Literature Festival, are you looking forward to it?
Yes I like it, it’s a good festival, and I like Ilkley and that part of Yorkshire, I always enjoy it.

What book will you be speaking about there?
I will be speaking about ‘Remember Me’ my latest novel and in the context of this is the fourth in a series, the first being ‘Soldier’s Return’, and then ‘Son of War’, ‘Crossing the Line’ and now ‘Remember Me’. It’s fiction based on my life in the 40s, 50s and to the early 70s, it tells the story of a love affair between two students, one French and one English.

What was your inspiration for the book?
Remember Me involves a character taken from her, just as the character is taken from me. It is loosly based on my first wife Lisa Roche who committed suicide.

Now I believe you’re a Northern Lad from Wigton, Cumbria?
Yes, I’m from the real north.

What did your father do?
After he came back from Burma he worked in a few factories. Later he ran what we called a beer house when I was about eight.

Do you mean a proper boozer?
Yes a proper boozer, all the pubs now have too much music and not enough rooms!

Can you pull a pint then Melvyn?
Sort of...well, I can clean the pipes, change a barrel and I used to clean all the tubes that came from the barrels up to the bar.

September 3rd marks 70 years since the start of the Second World War, do you feel as a country we treat our war veterans with the respect they deserve?
No, we don’t. I’ve done a programme for ITV called Outbreak which will be shown on September 3rd, which covers every thing that happened on that day seventy years ago in England, Germany, Australia, America and Poland and it’s fascinating what we have found.

What could we do to help our war veterans?
We could pay them better pensions; we could have a proper army day. I think the nation is prepared to do it, you see the respect that is given to Remembrance Day and I think we have just fallen out of the habit of having parades and marches and taking our men seriously and I believe it could have a bad effect on moral and they need all the help they can get at the moment.

What are your thoughts regarding our lads out in Afghanistan, do you think they are under-equipped?
It seems they are, they don’t have enough helicopters, they have too many light weight jeeps instead of the heavy ones they need, they seem unprepared for this sort of war. The Ministry of Defence, to put it mildly, seem to be very slow to get things out there.

You’ve been the presenter of The South Bank Show for 33 years now, but what jobs had you done before that?
Well, apart from working in my dad’s beer house I had a paper round, worked in a lemonade factory, a bit of farm work... but the first real job I had after leaving Oxford University was to join the BBC, which was my first properly paying job. I took a scholarship, there were three scholarships in the country called General Traineeships to get into the BBC and I happened to get one of them, there was a lot of graft involved.

Tell me how you ended up on The Start of the Week programme...
Well, it was a fluke. I had been at the BBC for around twenty years and I wasn’t at all interested in radio and wasn’t very good at it, but when Russell Hartley fell ill he asked me to do it because he thought that I was no threat and he was very worried that Michael Parkinson or Esther Rantzen was going to do it. I thought it was very funny so I did it! I expected to do it for a fortnight until he got well again, but unfortunately that was not to be.

How important is work to you?
I come from a working family; we used to be called the working class. All my family worked very hard all their lives, it’s very important.

The South Bank Show is ending next year what are your feelings on that?
It’s unexpected; they still really haven’t explained why they have decided to bring it to an end. I think they have made a mistake to end next year after 33 years. It isn’t a terrible thing and there are plenty other things I can do. I think they have killed off an interesting and useful arts institution for this country and it’s a very short sighted thing to do. We were there to educate people and we often did that which was great.

Sky Arts is growing in popularity would you fancy a slot on there?
Yes, Sky Arts is very interesting; I believe they threw a party when they heard about the end of The South Bank Show.

What have you got lined up for the final series?
Well in the final series it’s a bit odd Karen, we’re doing nine programmes starting in September and then we’re doing ten special repeats, but they are not just simple repeats I’m going back and examining some of the people I’ve done before, like Victoria Wood, Alan Bennett and David Hockney. In the last nine programmes, we’re doing a film on Wagner, Coldplay, Andy Warhol, Elbow, Caroline Duffy, Royal Shakespeare Company, the Pixar Studios and a film on Lee Hall the guy who wrote Billy Elliot so there’s quite a lot going on.

You have interviewed many people, who would you say was the most awkward interviewee?
That’s a tricky one. Probably the first interview I did with Harold Pinter, he was very, very difficult. I interviewed him a couple of times afterwards and he was very easy as we had become friends by then, so he was fine. I think with the first interview he had scarcely been interviewed on television this is in 1978 and I think he was absolutely determined to give nothing away and also possibly quite shy, it was extremely embarrassing all round. But I got him back because I left all the embarrassing bits in the interview as they were the best bits.

Woody Allen was difficult to interview wasn’t he?
He was one of those curious people who didn’t but did want to be interviewed and you think ‘will you just make your mind up!’

Your first daughter Marie-Elsa is a vicar in London are you a member of her congregation?
Well I go to some services; I like to hear her preaching because she is a good preacher.

Would you say you were a religious person?
I have what you might call a spiritual space.

You’re the President of the mental health charity MIND, why is this particular charity important to you?
Well, I’ve had a couple of severe depressions in my time, one when I was a teenager and one at the end of my twenties and you tend to be attracted to things you know about, I was President of Cumbria MIND and then around ten years ago I was asked to be the national President.

What are the signs of depression?
You become extremely nervous, you become closed in on yourself, there’s a feeling of dread that you can’t analyse and you lose confidence in every single way. It was quite difficult to cope with having it in my early years especially in the early fifties there was nobody I could talk to, so it was a difficult time.

You married Cate in 1973, what is the secret of a successful marriage?
Having a Yorkshire woman for a wife, she’s originally a Leeds lass.

You’re both northerners living in London; do you miss the north at all?
Well, I‘ve had a cottage on the hills up in Cumberland for nearly 40 years and we go up there a lot. I love the landscape and I have friends up there, I like the north of Britain I like the landscape, I like the people, it really is a remarkable place and I’m very much at home there more than anywhere else.

What’s your favourite northern dish?
Naaa then....

I’m guessing black pudding...
Yes, I do like black pudding, there are a couple of restaurants in London who have put it on the menu as I suggested it would be a good idea and it’s still on the menus I’m pleased to say. I also like Cumberland pork sausages, they are very good.

Yorkshire pudding or Lancashire Hotpot?
Yorkshire pudding is okay, but you’ve got to know how to cook it properly and I don’t!

Not a great cook then?
Well, I can open things up but I wouldn’t say I could cook! (Laughs)

Have you a favourite quote?
My father’s favourite quote was from Robert Burns ‘A Man’s A Man For A’ That.’

What a great quote. So you’re appearing at the King’s Hall in Ilkley on Thursday 15th October.
I certainly am, shall I see you there, Karen?

Oh yes I’ll be on the front row...
Make sure you come and say hello....

Ilkley Literature Festival is on from the 2nd to the 18th October.
For more information about the festival and to book tickets go on www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk or try the box office on 01943 816714 Monday - Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-1pm.

Interview from issue 27 Aug/Sept 09. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

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